Room And Board Policies And Procedures

Relationship of the Star Island Corporation and Conferences

Conference Schedule

Conferences will be scheduled to occur at times pursuant to an annual schedule established by the corporation. The corporation will give all conferences as much notice as possible of any change to the conference schedule and will provide an opportunity for representatives of any conference to appear before the corporation and present their opinions and questions regarding changes to the current schedule.

Conference Filling Goal

In order to ensure the financial integrity and viability of the corporation and its ability to maintain the island and its facilities for all conferences, it is vital that the island be used to its capacity at all times during the conference season. To this end, the conferee attendance (filling goal) for each conference is projected and set by the corporation after internal analysis and consultation for each conference. Conferences are responsible for bringing to the island, the number of conferees set by the corporation, for the entire duration of the conference. Conference leadership and SIC have worked collaboratively to set attendance goals tailored to each conference. The goal will be outlined in your conference’s Letter of Understanding document.

If a conference cannot meet its attendance goal by the four week deadline, SIC will attempt to fill all open rooms with individuals or other small groups/conferences and explore other means of addressing under enrollment.

4 weeks prior to conference, if it is not likely the conference will achieve its attendance goal; the Island Registrar will reduce the allotted attendance goal and begin to accept others to fill rooms as stated above.

Room and Board Information

Rates

Room and board rates are set and published yearly. Adult rates vary by room type – Standard Room -Shared , Standard Room – Single, Motel Unit – Shared, and Motel Unit – Single. Youth rates are based on age at the start date of the conference. Published rates include room and board, all meals, and boat transportation on the designated conference runs. All rates are per person. Conference Overnight Guests will receive a pro-rate room and board charge based on the number of nights attending. These rates is predetermined and is not calculated by dividing the full rate by the number of nights.

If a conferee is unexpectedly late or must unexpectedly depart early, rates will only be adjusted for extenuating circumstances approved by the Island Registrar.

Payment Options

Room and board bills are payable on the island through the Front Desk. Payment in full for all charges prior to leaving the island is required.

Cash

Check: Personal and traveler’s checks are accepted for bill payment. Conferees may also cash a personal check at the front desk during regular business hours (to a limit per checking account of $100 per visit to the island) and use to purchase items from the island stores. Note: There is a $25 service charge for returned checks.

Debit and Credit Cards: We accept VISA, MasterCard, AMEX and Discover for bill payments. We accept debit cards from these providers (logo on the card). We do not offer cash back through card payments.

Star Island Gift Certificates

Foreign Currency: We cannot accept foreign currency except for Canadian checks payable in U.S. funds.

Late Payment Fee: If you are unable or forget to pay the full amount of your bill prior to leaving the island, you will be charged a $25 late payment fee.

Room And Board Deposit & Cancellation Policies

Star Island Corporation requires a deposit at registration. For conferences 4 nights or less, the deposit is $100/person (ages 6+). For conferences 5 nights or more, the deposit is $200/person (ages 6+).

Registrants may cancel at any time, although the cancellation policy follows specific dates in conjunction with the conference start date in regards to a refund of deposit and/or charge of entire R &B fees.

Up to 4 weeks prior to conference start date: Deposit is fully refundable.

Exceptions to the cancellation policy resulting from extreme circumstances are made solely at Star Island’s discretion. Conference Registrars may inquire directly with the Island Registrar in these situations. Non-refunded deposits and R &B fees we collect according to the terms of this policy cannot be acknowledged by SIC as donations.

Conference Registrars should always notify the Island Registrar of all cancellations made at any point after your conference’s registration period has opened.

Refunds of Conference Programming Fees are made solely at the discretion of conference leadership and have no effect on the decision of Star Island to provide a deposit refund in respect to its policy. We recommend that conferences match their programming fee cancellation deadline to the Star Island Corporation’s room and board cancellation deadline in order to make things less confusing for conferees.

Deposit refunds made by Star Island Corporation will be mailed in the form of a refund check. The check will be made payable to the individual who made the initial deposit payment. Programming fee refunds should be made by the conference. SIC can not refund the deposit back to the credit card used for registration. It must be mailed as a paper check.

Discounts

Star Island is committed to making our unique summer experience affordable for all. SIC has in place several discount programs improving affordability for new families, former staff, and new groups. All discounts are mutually exclusive and can not be combined. Star Island will utilize the discount that offers the best value in cases where multiple discounts may apply.

A discount application form must be submitted by the conferee requesting the discount. All eligibility requirements must be met and the form must be received two weeks before the conference begins.

Conferee Arrivals and Departures at Unconventional Times

Late Arrivals & Early Departures

Conference Overnight Guests (COG’s)

A Conference Overnight Guest is any person not staying the full duration of the conference (even if only by one day). This is also a way for new people to come and try out a conference. Arrival and departure independent of the conference presents logistical and administrative considerations. COG’s should be aware that occasionally issues do arise such as check-in and check-out times, bill availability, and transportation inaccuracies. SIC will work to ensure these issues are resolved in a timely and efficient manner.

Conference overnight guests have full access to all conference programming during their stay on Star, however, we do not want them to “box out” full-length conferees. For this reason, we recommend that conferences pick a date after which they will accept COG’s. Typically, conferences expected to reach their conference filling goal wait until May 1st before accepting COG’s (so long as their filling goal has not been exceeded). Conferences concerned they will not reach their conference filling goal, usually start accepting COG’s as early as March 15. Any registrant that does not stay the full-length of a conference is considered by SIC to be a COG. Conference Overnight Guest R & B fees have a separate rate chart based on occupancy and the number of nights on-island. The COG R&B fee is not calculated by dividing the full-length conference rate by the number of night’s on-island. Conferences should have a plan to welcome late arrivals to the conference so that they can get up to speed with the events.

Conference Overnight Guests Must:

Verify availability and confirm travel arrangements in advance with the Conference Registrar. Transportation aboard any ISSCO or SIC vessel is free for COGs. If travel date/time prohibits using ISSCO or SIC vessels for transportation, COG’s must arrange and additionally pay for that transportation. Under no circumstances can SIC deduct any amount from R&B fees due to unconventional travel time expenses.

COG’s arriving late and traveling on an ISSCO vessel shoud check-in at their ticket counter. Their names will be on a list for free travel on the designated travel day. COG’s should always tell the parking attendant if they are “arriving late for the conference” or will be “departing early from the conference” so they can park the vehicle in an appropriate location.

Conference Leadership Early Arrivals

Day Before: With prior approval and availability, each conference may have early-arrivals the night before their conference begins. This option is typically limited to conference leadership and their families. The room and board charge for the extra early night will be added to their bill. Please consult the Island Registrar with information of those interested in this option for approval. Early arrivals coming the day before the conference should:

Upon arriving at the ISSCO dock, check in at the ticket counter. Tell the attendant that you are a Star Island conferee arriving early. If parking, make sure to let the attendant know your departure date. You will be charged an additional day for parking by Star Island and you will have to transport your own luggage aboard the vessel.

Upon arriving on Star Island, check in at the front desk.

Understand that our primary attention is devoted to the conference currently on the island, so island staff and meeting rooms may not be available until the next morning. But feel free to ask!

Be aware that the room you are assigned for the early night typically will not be the same room will be assigned for the conference week. You will need to move your belongings out of the room in the morning to allow for Chamber to make-up the room for conferees assigned to that room. You may store your belongings in the Hotel lobby if your assigned conference room is not ready.

Day Of: Alternatively, each conference may have conference leaders or staff arrive early on the day the conference is scheduled to begin. Main season conferences that begin on Saturday are asked to have conference leaders come out to the island on the 6:45 a.m. Thomas Laighton so they can attend a planning meetings with island staff before the conference arrives. Due to ISSCO’s regular business, SIC is limited to the 6:45am Laighton run to Star Island; leadership should plan accordingly. The Island Registrar should be advised of those members of leadership who will arrive early.

Our Mission

Our mission since 1915 is to hold and maintain Star Island and such other property as the Corporation may hold or acquire, as a center for religious, education, and kindred purposes consistent with the principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ.

Our Vision

Our vision is to create on Star Island an environment that frees all who come to renew spiritually, explore matters of consequence, and gain knowledge about the world as it might ideally be.